Michael Carrick has insisted he has no concerns about Lisandro Martínez’s commitment as Manchester United prepare to host Roma in the Champions League on Tuesday, with pressure building on the club after a run of nine matches without a win.
It is a significant moment for Carrick as much as for the team. United’s worst run in 38 years has created a difficult backdrop, and with Sunday’s trip to Aston Villa in the Premier League also on the horizon, the Roma game has become about far more than just another fixture.
Carrick: commitment is not the issue
Asked about Martínez, Carrick made it clear he was not doubting the defender’s attitude after the weekend incident at Stamford Bridge. The United manager said: “I’ve got no concerns about commitment at all.”
He added that football can throw up difficult moments without changing how a player is viewed inside the squad. “Things happen in football, sometimes you do things, sometimes you make a decision, sometimes you make mistakes, sometimes it goes well for you, but the commitment is not an issue,” Carrick said.
That matters because Martínez had recently been fined for comments about Jason Wilcox, but Carrick’s stance suggests United are keeping the focus on the pitch. In a period when every detail is being magnified, the manager is choosing to separate discipline issues from the wider question of whether the squad can respond.
Why Roma matters now
The timing of this match gives it extra weight. United lost 3-0 to Bournemouth in their most recent home game, while their away defeats against Atlético Madrid and Como in the Champions League league phase have only sharpened the pressure on Carrick’s position.
Before Tuesday, United had failed to win any of their past nine matches, and that form means the margin for error is shrinking fast. Carrick said he could not predict what comes next, but stressed that he remains focused on the game itself.
“I can’t look into the future, I don’t know what’s going to happen,” he said. “That doesn’t change the way I feel, that’s how we’re preparing for the game tomorrow and I’m really looking forward to the game.”
He was even more direct when discussing the mood around the club. “You might think I’m crazy with the results we’ve had and what’s going on, but I genuinely can’t wait for the game tomorrow and that’s all I’m focused on. Whatever happens is going to happen after that, in whatever direction it goes in.”
Mainoo speaks for the dressing room
Kobbie Mainoo also acknowledged the frustration around the club, saying supporters cannot be expected to stay happy when results are not there. “In these tough times you can’t expect the fans 100,000% of the time to be happy and cheering when we’re not putting out results,” he said.
Mainoo added that the squad must earn that backing back on the pitch. “We owe it to them to put the results out there for them to cheer again,” he said.
He also underlined the need for unity behind the manager. “I feel like our way to repay that [the manager’s support] is to also be behind the manager on the pitch and off it and fight for us and fight for us as a team.”
For Manchester United, the challenge is simple enough to state but hard to solve: stop the slide, answer the pressure, and make Tuesday feel like a turning point rather than another warning sign. With Roma first and Aston Villa next, the response has to come quickly.
